Affordable Care Act info blitz coming

SANTA CRUZ -- Three days of training will begin Tuesday for enrollment counselors who will help people sign up for individual health insurance required by the Affordable Care Act.

Salud Para La Gente is sending three staffers to the training organized by Covered California, the state's health benefits exchange.

The training will be in Aptos. Health insurance through Covered California will be available Oct. 1.

Salud will haves two certified outreach educators to inform people about their health insurance options.

"I mainly get a sense that individuals and small businesses aren't ready for what's about to hit them," said Matthew King, an insurance agent in Aptos hosting a Wednesday event to educate his customers. "It's facing reality that change is uncomfortable and in this case it may or may not be very hard to swallow."

More access to health care will mean more use of health care, King said.

"Will the quality of care improve?" he asked. "Will it be affordable? Or will it be status quo with rising premiums and arguably reduced benefits?"

Alan Smith of GoSmallBiz encourages small business owners to attend a breakfast meeting 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday at Wells Fargo, 74 River St., to get more information from speakers Matt Tarkenton and Henry Lindeman.

Pamela Fugitt-Hetrick of DCD Financial & Insurance Services in Santa Cruz noted a report by HealthPocket, a website that ranks health care plans, finding prices of plans offered by the exchanges was not be as competitive as expected in nine out of 10 states.

HealthPocket looked at 1,621 health plans in 10 states including California where insurers said they would not participate in the state's health insurance exchange.

In Santa Cruz County, the choices are Blue Shield of California, Anthem Blue Cross and HealthNet after two large insurers, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, left the California individual market.

HealthPocket used U.S. Department of Health and Human Services insurance data to calculate the average 2013 monthly premium charged to a 35-year-old nonsmoking man by insurers off the exchange, then compared this to the average premium for insurers in the exchange.

In California, the average price in the exchange for a 35-year-old nonsmoking man was $299 vs. $217 outside the exchange, according to HealthPocket.

In 2011, about 22 percent of Santa Cruz County residents age 18-64 were uninsured compared to 25 percent statewide, according to the Census, which will post 2012 data Tuesday.

Women had higher insurance rates than men, and as income falls, the percentage of those without insurance rises.

For those earning $28,725, which is 250 percent of the poverty level, 32 percent of county women and 44 percent of county men are without insurance. They will be eligible for tax credits to reduce the cost of premiums.

For those earning $15,856, which is 138 percent of the federal poverty level, 33 percent of women and 47 percent of men are without health insurance. People below this income level will qualify for MediCal, the state insurance program.

Tax credits are phased out for individuals earning $45,960, which is 400 percent of the federal poverty level. In Santa Cruz County, at this pay level, 38 percent of men and 28 percent of women are uninsured.

The Health Improvement Partnership is presenting a workshop Sept. 27 in Watsonville to develop a cadre of 100 people to encourage those without insurance to look into the new options.

"It's not all we wished for, but it's something," said Ellie Littman of the partnership. "Don't discount it, check it out."

For information on health insurance premiums at the state exchange, visit www.coveredca.com.